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Friday, July 23, 2010

Excuse Me, Please Be Considerate When You Complain

You know, recently I read a letter from the NST newspapers and I stumbled upon this article.

I REFER to the report "Sabah, Sarawak teachers to be sent back" (NST July 19).

My daughter will be sitting the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah this year. She did poorly in Science when she started her Year 6 this year.

When her performance started to decline, I took the opportunity to meet her Science teacher.

Earlier, my girl had told me that the teacher was from Sabah. Upon meeting him, I was shocked to find that he could not speak in English at all. How can a teacher who cannot speak English teach Science in English?

We are really going backwards in our education. This is more evidence for why the teaching of Science and Maths in English was no longer possible.

I had no choice but to teach my girl personally as much as I could, and she has since improved.

I believe teachers from Sabah and Sarawak should be sent back, as the students there can better understand them. We cannot afford to use our students to teach the teacher English.

Wow, sounds like 1Malaysia spirit eh?

So, to the author, are you trying to say that you're underestimating our English? I welcome you to the Land Below the Wind, where even the Kadazans and Dusuns are able to speak decent English, where many of us are able to study in English spoken countries like England and Australia and many of our families speak English as our mother tongue.

And you were just making one understatement only by seeing ONE Sabahan teacher?

And, by the way, are all West Malaysian teachers teaching good English at the same time too? Regardless their origins, be it East or West Malaysia, we both have the same flaws, don't they? You're just being one-sided, as you are judging one rotten apple instead of the whole teachers' pool in our education system.

Last but not least, THINK before you complain. Just because people like you assume that we are still living on trees and whatnot doesn't mean we are incompetent in English! We are polite and humble, so treat us the way you love to be treated. Do some good research on us, or do care to visit us before you judge our English proficiency!

Many of the present day West Malaysians are knowing the East Malaysians' world better when compared to the past. It's a good thing, and thank God so far I did not bump into some narrow-minded people who still assume us that we are still living on trees.

Yes, when Sabah and Sarawak just entered Malaysia, my elder generation do face those problems, but now, I don't think I have any problems interacting with West Malaysians here. Instead, I do managed to get to know many nice friends here in KL. Cheers.

but like ken said, the teacher should have a good grasp of the language before he can teach the subject...

and yeah, i've knows some lecturers back in my matrix year whose command of english was laughable...the government really need to train teachers and lecturers properly first to make sure they can teach in english before they assigned them to teach in english

I'm not from eastern Malaysia and even I felt offended. Come on lady, every where you go there are people/teachers with bad english. yes shame on them and what not but to generalize as such? pfft...good for u in being able to teach your kid but i hope she doesnt learn to generalize ppl like u!

Most of the teachers in my school are from Sabah/Sarawak and everyone speaks good English. I think the parent shouldn't blame the teacher, the authorities in the school should be blamed for selecting a teacher who can't speak in english to teach Science in English. At least let him teacher BM or Moral or anything else in Malay. Don't you think so?

Thats what i can say. if these east malaysia teachers were to sent back to contribute to the society because of their understanding the local cultures there, i would totally support.

But because their english is bad, i think its unfair. There are good teachers. Teachers are not only to teach about subjects, but there are some non-subjects materials like culture and stuff that they can share with their students.

Glow: That parent better don't teach her children bad stuffs indirectly. Good to know that there are more understanding and rational West Malaysians in this present day. :) Keep the 1Malaysia spirit going! xD